LLC formation in Missouri: fees, filing steps, and ongoing costs
Data last updated: Apr 21, 2026Where Missouri fits, and where it doesn't
Good fit for Missouri
You live in Missouri and run a business here, whether that is a St. Louis consultancy, a Kansas City real estate holding entity, a Springfield trades company, or a Columbia e-commerce shop. You want a domestic LLC that files once and then stops nagging you. You are a non-resident owner of a single Missouri property and need a local holding LLC without a recurring state tax bill. You are willing to draft a written operating agreement (or at least download a template and sign it) because the statute asks for one.
Skip Missouri when
You live in Texas or California and read a Reddit thread calling Missouri a secret LLC haven. It is not. Forming in Missouri from out of state still means you foreign-qualify back home, pay your home state's annual fees, and keep a Missouri registered agent on top of that. You run an entity with anonymous-ownership or privacy priorities; Missouri LLC filings disclose organizer and registered agent, and the state does not offer the anonymous-LLC structure Wyoming or New Mexico do.
What a Missouri LLC actually costs
- Formation filing fee Paid once at formation $50
- Commercial registered agent Annual, estimate $100
- Annual state obligations None in this state $0
- Year 1 total estimate Formation plus first-year ongoing $150
Registered agent estimate uses a $100 midpoint. Specialist agents start around $50 per year. Full-service formation companies bundle RA for $125 to $200.
Cost across the first three years
How Missouri compares on the basics
How to apply for an LLC in Missouri
- Pick a compliant LLC name
The name must end in "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or an approved abbreviation, and must be distinguishable from every other entity on the Missouri Secretary of State record. Check availability at the Missouri entity search.
- Designate a registered agent
Every Missouri LLC is required to have a registered agent with a physical street address in Missouri. You can serve as your own agent if you live in Missouri, or hire a commercial service for $99 to $249/yr. See the Missouri registered agent guide.
- File Articles of Organization of a Limited Liability Company (LLC 1)
Filing fee is $50. Online filing is available through the state portal. Mail filings are accepted.
- Apply for a federal EIN
Free directly from the IRS in about 15 minutes (see the EIN guide). Required for opening a business bank account, hiring employees, and most formation-service tax workflows.
- Adopt an operating agreement
Missouri statutorily requires a written operating agreement. See the operating agreement pillar for the 12 clauses every agreement should include.
Filing walkthrough
You file the Articles of Organization (Form LLC 1) through the Missouri Business Portal at bsd.sos.mo.gov. Online filings cost $50 and typically complete in 1 business day; paper filings submitted to the Jefferson City office cost $105 and take about 7 business days. The $5 gap between the two fees is a Technology Fund surcharge built into the paper rate, and there is no expedited tier because the online queue already clears same-day or next-day most of the week.
Every Missouri LLC needs a registered agent with a Missouri street address for service of process. You can be your own agent if you live here, or hire a commercial agent for the usual $50 to $125 per year. The Articles ask for the LLC name, the registered agent, the purpose (a general-purpose clause is fine), management structure, and duration. Missouri does not impose a publication requirement and does not require any post-formation filing with the Secretary of State.
The one thing most online walkthroughs fail to mention is the operating agreement rule. Under Mo. Rev. Stat. 347.081(1), the members of a Missouri LLC 'shall adopt' an operating agreement. You do not file it with the state, and it can be oral or written, but the statute uses mandatory language. Put it in writing. A single-member LLC template takes 15 minutes, and a court reading the statute later will expect to see one.
How Missouri taxes an LLC
Missouri does not impose a franchise tax, privilege tax, or entity-level LLC tax. The state repealed its corporate franchise tax back in 2016 and never replaced it with anything. The only state charge is the one-time $50 formation fee, which makes Missouri one of the genuinely cheapest states to maintain in year two onward.
A default-classification Missouri LLC is a pass-through entity. Members report their share of LLC income on their personal Missouri returns, subject to the state's graduated individual income tax. The top marginal rate steps down under SB 3 triggers and is currently 4.7%, with further reductions scheduled once revenue conditions are met. An LLC electing C-corp treatment with the IRS owes the flat 4.0% Missouri corporate income tax under Chapter 143 instead.
Statewide sales and use tax is 4.2%, split across General Revenue, Education, Conservation, and Parks. Counties and cities stack their own local sales taxes on top, so combined rates typically run 7% to 10% depending on where the sale happens. If you are selling goods or certain services, plan to register with the Department of Revenue for a sales tax license regardless of entity size.
Ongoing compliance and costs after year one
After the $50 formation filing, Missouri's recurring state cost is roughly zero. Budget $50 to $125 per year for a commercial registered agent if you are not serving as your own, and that is the entire annual state bill. There is no annual report, no biennial report, no franchise tax minimum, and no privilege fee. This is as close to a one-time-fee state as you can find.
If you also operate in another state, your foreign-qualification cost and annual obligations there are controlled by that state's rules, not Missouri's. The Missouri side stays quiet. One small footnote: the Department of Revenue may require separate tax registrations (sales tax, employer withholding, unemployment) depending on what the LLC actually does, and those have their own filing cadences.
Common mistakes forming a Missouri LLC
Two patterns repeat. First, founders skip the operating agreement entirely because Missouri does not require them to file it with the Secretary of State. The filing and the adoption are two different things. Mo. Rev. Stat. 347.081(1) still says members 'shall adopt' one, and a judge evaluating member disputes or veil-piercing claims will treat the missing agreement as a formality gap, not a clever shortcut. Second, out-of-state filers assume that because Missouri has no annual report, they can ignore the registered-agent role and let the address go stale. The Secretary of State mails compliance notices to the last agent address on file, and once those start bouncing, the LLC drifts toward administrative cancellation. Keep the agent current.
State agencies that handle Missouri LLCs
Missouri Secretary of State, Corporations Division
- Website
- www.sos.mo.gov/business/corporations
- Phone
- (573) 751-4153
- corporations@sos.mo.gov
- Corporations Division, Missouri Secretary of State, P.O. Box 778, Jefferson City, MO 65102
- Office
- Corporations Division, 600 W. Main Street, Missouri State Information Center, Room 322, Jefferson City, MO 65101
- Hours
- 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Central, Monday to Friday
Missouri Department of Revenue
- Website
- dor.mo.gov
- Phone
- (573) 751-3505
- Missouri Department of Revenue, Harry S Truman State Office Building, 301 West High Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101
- Office
- Harry S Truman State Office Building, 301 West High Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101
- Hours
- 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Central, Monday to Friday
Frequently Asked Questions
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How much does it cost to form an LLC in Missouri in 2026?
The online filing fee is $50, paid once to the Secretary of State when you file Articles of Organization (Form LLC 1). Paper filings cost $105 because Missouri adds a $5 Technology Fund surcharge to the mail rate. Plan for another $50 to $125 per year for a commercial registered agent if you are not serving as your own. There is no annual report and no franchise tax, so year two costs nothing to the state itself.
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Does Missouri have an annual report for LLCs?
No. Missouri does not require LLCs to file an annual or biennial report with the Secretary of State. The Chapter 347 fee schedule has no recurring report fee, and the SOS Schedule of Fees and Charges lists periodic reports only for Chapter 351 corporations and Chapter 355 nonprofits. An LLC in good standing only needs to keep registered-agent information current.
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Does Missouri require an operating agreement?
Yes. Mo. Rev. Stat. 347.081(1) states that the member or members of an LLC 'shall adopt' an operating agreement, making Missouri one of a handful of states (with California, Delaware, Maine, and New York) that statutorily require one. The agreement does not have to be filed with the state and can be oral or written, but the statutory requirement is real. Putting it in writing is strongly advised, especially for single-member LLCs where the written agreement helps preserve the liability shield in court.
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Do Missouri LLCs pay state income tax?
A default-classification Missouri LLC is a pass-through entity and does not owe entity-level income tax. Members report their share of LLC income on their personal Missouri returns, subject to the state's graduated individual income tax that currently tops out at 4.7%. An LLC that elects C-corp treatment with the IRS owes the flat 4.0% Missouri corporate income tax instead. There is no franchise or privilege tax at any revenue level.
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How long does it take to form a Missouri LLC?
Online filings through the Missouri Business Portal typically clear in 1 business day. Paper filings mailed to the Jefferson City office take around 7 business days. Missouri does not offer an expedited tier for LLCs because the standard online queue already processes most filings same-day or next-day. A $55 Pre-Clearance Examination is available if you want the state to review the document for form and legal adequacy before submission, but it does not accelerate filing itself.
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Should I form my LLC in Missouri instead of my home state?
Usually no, unless you actually live or operate in Missouri. Missouri's cheap-to-maintain profile does not transfer through foreign-LLC registration. If you live in Illinois and form in Missouri, your Illinois activity still requires an Illinois annual report and franchise fee, plus you now pay for a Missouri registered agent. Missouri is a home-state pick, not a tax-shelter pick.
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Does Missouri have a franchise tax on LLCs?
No. Missouri repealed its corporate franchise tax in 2016 and does not impose any franchise, privilege, or entity-level tax on LLCs. The $50 Articles of Organization fee is the only state entity cost, and it is paid once. Combined with the absence of an annual report, Missouri is among the lowest-maintenance LLC states in the country.
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Does Missouri have a publication requirement for new LLCs?
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How do I apply for an LLC in Missouri?
Apply for an LLC in Missouri by filing Articles of Organization of a Limited Liability Company (LLC 1) with Missouri Secretary of State, Corporations Division. The filing fee is $50. Online filing is available through the state portal. Approval typically takes 1 business day online. Mail filings take about 7 business days. Before filing, pick a registered agent (see the Missouri registered agent guide) and confirm your business name is available using the state's entity search.
Further reading on LLCs
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Registered agents for LLCs
What the role is, whether to be your own, and honest comparison of 12 national services.
LLC vs sole proprietorship
Liability, taxes, cost, and when each makes sense. Written for a working owner.
LLC vs S-corp election
When the S-corp tax election actually saves money, with concrete SE-tax math.
Dissolve a Missouri LLC
Step-by-step dissolution: member vote, tax clearance, state filing, IRS closure.
Formation services compared
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Compare Missouri to another state
Side-by-side breakdowns of fees, taxes, approval time, and compliance. Every other US jurisdiction has a dedicated compare page against Missouri.
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Sources
- Filing fee: www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Business/fees.pdf?v=2025 · verified April 21, 2026
Missouri SOS Schedule of Fees and Charges (revised 01/2025), Chapter 347 Limited Liability Companies: Certificates of Limited Liability Company (domestic online) $50.00; Certificates of Limited Liability Company (domestic or foreign, paper) $105.00. Includes $5 Technology fund component. Mo. Rev. Stat. 347.179(1) sets the base fees as $45 online / $100 paper; the $5 tech surcharge brings totals to $50/$105. - Expedited filing: www.sos.mo.gov/business/corporations/forms · verified April 21, 2026
Missouri SOS Corporations Division does not publish an expedited service tier for LLC filings. Online filings through bsd.sos.mo.gov are typically processed immediately or within one business day at the standard $50 fee, so there is no separate expedite option. A $55 Pre-Clearance Examination is available for reviewing a document for form and legal adequacy before submission (Schedule of Fees and Charges, General Fees) but does not accelerate filing itself. - Operating agreement requirement: revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=347.081 · verified April 21, 2026
Mo. Rev. Stat. 347.081(1) provides that the member or members of an LLC 'shall adopt' an operating agreement. The statute uses mandatory language (shall adopt) and describes permissible contents, making Missouri one of the handful of states (with California, Delaware, Maine, and New York) that statutorily require an operating agreement. The agreement does not need to be filed with the SOS and may be in any form, but it must exist. - Foreign LLC registration fee: www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Business/fees.pdf?v=2025 · verified April 21, 2026
Missouri SOS Schedule of Fees and Charges (01/2025): Certificates of Limited Liability Company (domestic or foreign)(paper) $105. Foreign LLCs must file the Application for Registration of a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC 4) by paper; Missouri does not publish an online filing path specifically for foreign LLC registration. - Business name search: bsd.sos.mo.gov/BusinessEntity/BESearch.aspx?SearchType=0 · verified April 21, 2026
Missouri SOS Business Entity Search. Confirm name distinguishability before filing the LLC 1. - Corporate income tax rate: dor.mo.gov/taxation/business/tax-types/corporation-income/ · verified April 21, 2026
Missouri Department of Revenue Corporation Income Tax page: the corporate income tax rate is a flat 4% for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2020 (Chapter 143 RSMo). Applies to LLCs electing C-corp treatment. - Sales tax rate: dor.mo.gov/taxation/business/tax-types/sales-use/ · verified April 21, 2026
Missouri Department of Revenue Sales/Use Tax page: state sales and use tax rate is 4.225% (3.0% General Revenue, 1.0% Education, 0.125% Conservation, 0.10% Parks/Soils). Local jurisdictions add their own sales tax on top; combined rates typically range from 5% to over 10%.